Scientists help Chicago's stinky 'corpse flower' blossom
| Glencoe, Ill.
A聽rare聽foul-smelling聽flower聽expected聽to聽bloom聽this聽week had to get an聽assist聽from聽scientists聽when it didn't聽open聽at the聽Chicago聽Botanic聽Garden.
More than聽50,000聽people聽visited聽the corpse聽flower聽in聽suburban聽Glencoe聽this month. The聽garden聽also live-streamed the nearly 6-foot-tall titan arum plant, nicknamed "Spike." When corpse聽flowers聽bloom, they release a stinky odor which attracts pollinating beetles and flies.
The plant showed signs of聽opening聽but didn't.
The聽Chicago聽Tribune reports聽 on Sunday to determine why.聽Scientists聽believe Spike didn't聽have enough energy to force itself opening, however they say it could聽open again in the future.
Conservation聽scientist聽Patrick Herendeen says the plant聽didn't聽perform as聽expected, just like some聽garden聽plants at home.
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